APPs

Rivers Lawmaker Narrates What Led To Assembly’s Mayhem

A member of Rivers State House of Assembly, Victoria Nyeche has narrated the events which led to violence amongst the lawmakers in the hallowed chambers on Tuesday.

During an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, she disclosed that the crisis bedevilling the Assembly started on the 6th of May when armed touts disrupted the Assembly’s procession.

Accordiong to her, the initial chaos was what led to the request for more security operatives at Tuesday’s sitting. “Because of this security situation we felt that for us to reconvene; we needed to be assured of our security. So we agreed and the Clerk wrote a letter to the state command that we needed additional policemen” she said.

Mrs Nyeche, who claimed she watched the proceedings from her office via a Close Circuit Television (CCTV), said that the problem started when about seven members were exchanging pleasantries on the floor of the house and suddenly, she saw Mr Evans Bipi raining blows on Mr Chidi Llyod.

The lawmaker stated that Mr Evans Bipi also hit the Speaker, Amachree Otelemaba, who was trying to intervene in the situation.

“Evans grabbed the tripod and started hitting Lloyd with it,” she added.

She said it was when most of the lawmakers ran away, that a faction stayed behind to have a ‘sitting’ that led to the impeachment of the Speaker.

She denounced the authenticity of the impeachment and supported her claim with the law which she quotes that “for the House to sit, you must have 11 members” and to “discuss the impeachment of the Speaker, you must have 22 members”

“So even if 10 members sit down in the chambers, at best they can be said to be having a talk show.”

CCTV Video

Meanwhile the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, Rivers state, Sam Nwanosike, has demanded the release of the video recorded by the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) operational in the Assembly.

During a telephone conversation, Mr Sam Nwanosike accused the Mrs Nyeche of being ‘unsure of what she’s saying’.

He alleged that a proper sitting had held and the pro-Amaechi camp only rushed out to call in Governor Amaechi after the Mr Otelemaba, had been impeached.

Mr Nyeche responded stating that the CCTV video has not been made available to be public because the office has been shut off and is being guarded by police men.

She indicated her support for the Senate to take over the duties of the Rivers Assembly.

“Considering what is at stake, I think it is in the best interest of Democracy” for the Senate to take over the duties of the Rivers Assembly.